Influential Iowa Poll Shows Trump With Wide Lead
Former President Donald Trump looks set to dominate on Monday night, according to the results of a new poll by an influential Iowa pollster.Significantly behind President Trump, former U.S. Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley has 20 percent of voters backing her. Following her, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis with 16 percent support. Finally, businessman Vivek Ramaswamy with 8 percent support.
Trump Goes After Ramaswamy
Former President Donald Trump has declared businessman Vivek Ramaswamy is “not MAGA.” The statement marks the first time the former president has gone after the entrepreneur, who has been a staunch defender of President Trump.“Very sly, but a vote for Vivek is a vote for the ‘other side’ ... Don’t get duped by this. Vote for ‘Trump’ don’t waste your vote!”
The offending post, by user “Matt G,” read, “It’s clear what needs to happen in Iowa.”
“If you want to save Donald Trump from the inevitable, you vote for Vivek.”
Mr. Ramaswamy is running in fourth place in all of the latest Iowa-only polls. He trails President Trump, former U.S. Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Mr. Ramaswamy said the “plot” is to narrow the GOP field to Ms. Haley and President Trump, “eliminate” President Trump, and “trot their puppet into the White House.”
He went on to say he respects President Trump and has taken numerous actions to defend him.
“But open your eyes to the hard truth: This system will stop at nothing to keep this man away from the White House,” Mr. Ramaswamy said on X. “Just because it’s wrong doesn’t mean it won’t happen and we owe it to our nation to take America first forward.”
Trump Vows to Teach Dems, Biden ‘A Lesson’
DES MOINES, Iowa–During a live-streamed ‘telerally’ on Saturday night, former President Donald Trump aimed some barbs at his Republican rivals but reserved his strongest attacks for his Democrat foes, particularly President Joe Biden.Even if another Democrat besides President Biden becomes that party’s presidential nominee, “Whoever it may be, we just have to win, because their ideology is so bad,” President Trump said.
Referring to Democrats, President Trump said, “The only thing they know how to do is cheat on elections. They are very good at cheating in elections, and they’re very good at also going after your political opponent. But they can’t do anything else. That’s all they’re good at, and we’re going to teach them a lesson.”
That last line produced the loudest applause of his 45-minute talk with a small live audience of Trump “caucus captains.” They participated in this small-scale online event instead of an in-person rally because of dangerously cold weather and a blizzard warning.
Iowa Attorney General Breanna Bird said Iowans and Americans “see right through” Democrats’ weaponization of the government against President Trump. That’s why he’s leading by virtually unprecedented wide margins in national and Iowa polls, she said.
At its peak, about 45,000 people were streaming the rally on Rumble, an online video platform.
On Sunday, after the blizzard warning expires, President Trump will resume in-person events. He has set a rally in Indianola, Iowa, south of Des Moines, at noon CST, followed by his public appearance on Monday at a still-undisclosed time and caucus location.
Trump Says Haley Backed by ‘Globalists’
DES MOINES, Iowa–During a livestreamed “tele-rally,” former President Donald Trump went after opponent former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley.“Nikki is a person who is getting a lot of her money from globalists, and globalists are not good for our country,” he said.
He said he got to know Ms. Haley very well when she served as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. “She was ‘OK,’ but she’s not strong enough to be president,” he said.
The former president fielded questions from Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird, contrasting his policies with those of Democrat President Joe Biden.
A small audience of people wearing white “Trump Caucus Captain” ball caps sat behind him and Ms. Bird.
In a split-screen, images of immigrants pouring across the U.S. border were broadcast while Trump described his crackdown on illegal immigration.
He described how the Biden administration sold “very expensive” border-wall-building materials for “5 cents on the dollar” instead of completing the barrier.
Trump predicts “the biggest tax increase in history” if the Biden administration allows his tax cuts to expire.
A vote for President Biden is a vote for higher taxes, he said.
The Epoch Times has reached out to Ms. Haley’s campaign for comment.
Iowa Heavyweights Stump for DeSantis
WEST DES MOINES, Iowa—A trio of Iowa’s political heavyweights stumped for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis at a campaign event Saturday afternoon.Gov. Kim Reynolds, evangelical kingmaker Bob Vander Plaats, and conservative talk-show host Steve Deace, all of whom have endorsed Mr. DeSantis, braved sub-zero temperatures to appear at the Never Back Down PAC headquarters. They were joined by Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas).
Casey DeSantis, wife of the candidate, also appeared onstage with their son, Mason. Mr. DeSantis’s mother, Karen DeSantis, was in attendance as well.
Each of them pitched Mr. DeSantis as a proven leader who can deliver for the nation the results he has accomplished as a governor.
The crowd of some 100 attendees appeared to be evenly split between campaign volunteers, community members, and supporters of the governor who had traveled from other states to assist in the caucus push.
Mr. DeSantis’s record of accomplishments had drawn the support of many in the room. The economy also weighed on the minds of some.
“I have a son that works two jobs, and his wife works as well. And they still struggle to make ends meet,” Lori Tiangco of West Des Moines told The Epoch Times.
Kari Lake Visits Father of Iowa’s Largest Trump-Supporting Family in Hospital
Trump supporter Tim Krachenfels, a father of 12, is hospitalized, but urged his eldest children to continue last-minute campaigning for the former president.After learning that he had told his children not to worry about him and to continue working to “save America,” U.S. Senate hopeful Kari Lake visited Krachenfels’ bedside and prayed with him.
“Please pray for Tim!” said Lake, who met members of the Krachenfels family while “phone banking” with them at the Trump campaign headquarters in Urbandale, Iowa. She learned that, after he was hospitalized, “he woke up and told his kids to not sit around the hospital and to go Save America,” Lake wrote.
The family lives in West Des Moines; the children are ages 2-22. The oldest six, plus their parents, Tim and Terra Krachenfels, have all volunteered for the Trump campaign. That’s the largest number of Trump volunteers from a single family in Iowa, campaign officials believe.
The eldest, son Jayce, 22, told The Epoch Times that he and other volunteers had assembled a couple of hundred yard signs at the Urbandale headquarters on Saturday morning. The center, located in a small plaza, was abuzz with volunteers making last-minute phone calls on Saturday afternoon, urging people to go to Caucus Night on Monday and vote for President Trump.
Haley Performing Well in Coffee Bean Caucus
Former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley is running close to former President Donald Trump in the Coffee Bean Caucus, even if she’s trailing in polls elsewhere in the Hawkeye State.In the informal poll, President Joe Biden is leading the field by a wide margin. Among the Republican Party candidates, President Trump holds a slight lead over Ms. Haley. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis trails President Trump and Ms. Haley, a reflection of a real possibility in the Jan. 15 GOP Caucus, followed by businessman Vivek Ramaswamy.
Mr. Worcester, who’s on the campaign trail in Iowa, will file a longer update on the Iowa City tradition later on Saturday. Iowa City is home to the University of Iowa, the state’s flagship institution.
Trump ‘Live from Iowa’ Starting Soon via ‘Telerally’
DES MOINES, Iowa—After cold weather preempted in-person rallies in two different cities, former President Donald Trump is inviting people to tune in for a “telerally” via the internet.“President Donald J. Trump, 45th President of the United States of America, will deliver his Vision for America Live from Iowa on Saturday, January 13, 2024, at 6:30PM CST,” the Trump campaign said in a news release.
‘You Don’t Defeat Democrat Chaos With Republican Chaos,’ Haley Says
IOWA CITY, Iowa— Republicans must face the “hard truth” that the party’s front-runner is unlikely to win the popular vote and could be defeated again in November despite running against an unpopular president, GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley said during a stump stop here Saturday.Former President “Donald Trump was the right president at the right time,” she told about 100 people crammed into tiny James Theater in snowbound Iowa City. “But rightly or wrongly, chaos follows him” and if he defeats President Joe Biden, his second administration will be divisive and polarizing.
“You don’t defeat Democrat chaos with Republican chaos,” said Ms.Haley, a former South Carolina governor who served as United Nations ambassador in the Trump administration.
Considering Mr. Biden’s age, she added, “We cannot afford a President Kamala Harris.”
Ms. Haley said polls consistently show President Biden would defeat Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and that President Trump is “head-to-head; on a good day, he might be 2 points ahead” of an otherwise unpopular president.
She presents a clear alternative in reversing a trend where GOP presidential candidates have lost seven of the last eight popular votes.
“I defeat Biden by double-digits” consistently in polls, Ms. Haley said, including the latest one by 17 points. “That’s a mandate going into DC.”
Rep. Ashley Hinson kicked-off the 30-minute stump stop by stressing that Ms. Haley presents the best chance to “fire Joe Biden and enable a Republican to move forward.”
With Republicans set to convene at 730 caucus sites statewide in two days, Ms. Hinson said by now, most voters should have a good idea of what the different candidates stand for.
“Only in Iowa before the caucuses could you have a beer in your basement with a candidate,” she said.
Ms. Haley opened with that theme, telling Iowans they have a chance to lead the nation in a new direction.
“All eyes are on Iowa and you get to decide,” she said. “You get to set the tone for the rest of the country—and right now, the tone is not good” across the nation.
Ms. Haley said “it is time to put an accountant in the White House” to cut federal spending and align budgets with what works best for taxpayers, not the tax-reliant.
She outlined her proposed policies for the economy, education, energy independence, the border/immigration, and national defense.
Because of inflation and rising energy costs, she said, “one in six Americans cannot pay their utility bill” and the average homebuyer is now 49 years old.
“The American Dream is slipping away,” Ms. Haley said, noting that 81 percent of Americans believe their children will not enjoy the same quality of life they did.
She would push for nationwide school choice and “stop mandating education by zip code.”
Ms. Haley said President Biden’s “dereliction of duty” has fostered chaos at the border that threatens national security. She will push for nationwide E-Verify and hire 25,000 additional Border Patrol and ICE agents, adopt a “catch-and-deport” policy, and upon assuming office, “we will close the border.”
As the wife of a currently deployed combat veteran, Ms. Haley would ensure “we take care of those who take care of us” and demand the Veterans Administration actually “treat veterans with the respect they deserve.”
She said she would push for energy independence and “turn the nation’s energy industry into an economic powerhouse.”
Ms. Haley, citing her experience at the United Nations, said she would be a strong presence in foreign affairs and national security.
“We know the world is on fire” with wars in Europe and the Middle East, North Korea testing threatening ballistic missiles, “and China on the march,” she said.
Ms. Haley reiterated that she would continue to support Ukraine and Israel, saying “it does not have to be this or that. “Don’t let them tell you that. It’s a false pretense.”
If Russia defeats Ukraine, it is a victory for China and Iran, she said. “Poland and the Baltics are next and they are NATO countries and that puts us at war. This is about preventing war. It’s always been about preventing war.”
Ms. Haley called China, Russia and Iran “an unholy alliance. They hate freedom and most of all, they hate America.”
She reiterated that she, more than any other GOP presidential candidate, presents the best odds of defeating President Biden and putting “a real conservative leader” in the White House” who can “leave the baggage behind and move forward.”
‘It’s About Saving Our Republic’: Kari Lake at Trump HQ
Kari Lake spoke to The Epoch Times at President Donald Trump’s Urbandale, Iowa,campaign headquarters, saying that reelecting President Trump “is about saving our Republic.”Ms. Lake, a former candidate for Arizona governor who has leveled accusations of election fraud against her adversary, is a prominent Trump ally. She was attending an event at a Trump campaign center on the outskirts of Des Moines, Iowa, where she met with volunteers and supporters of President Trump.
“There’s no place on the planet I'd rather be than right here in Iowa at this amazing monumental moment in history,” Ms. Lake told The Epoch Times.
“Iowa is going to make history on Monday night,” she said. “As I look out at these beautiful people … it brings a tear to my eye that this many Americans—with a lot going on in their lives—are here on a Saturday morning doing everything they can to make sure we save our country.
“That’s what this is. It’s about getting President Trump elected and it’s about saving our Republic.”
Ms. Lake emphasized the importance of attending the caucus, saying:.
“No matter how windy, no matter how cold, we’ve gotta put our boots on.”
She called on campaign volunteers to fulfill a prior commitment to bring 10 people to the caucuses.
“We need to go out and make history,” Ms. Lake said. “We’re going to turn things around. I believe God put us here for this period, I really do. This is a moment of good versus evil.”
DeSantis Rejects ‘Participation Trophy’ in Atlantic, Iowa Stop
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis got a cynical present at a campaign event in Atlantic, Iowa.“Governor DeSantis, I want to present you this participation trophy,” the man said to nervous laughter from the audience.
“Now, you’re probably not going to win the election, right? I’m proud of you for trying. Here you go,” Mr. Stiefler said as he pressed the dubious honor toward Mr. DeSantis.
“He’s special, he’s unique and he’s our little snowflake,” Mr. Stiefler said before he was escorted away from the DeSantises, Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas), Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds and The Family Leader CEO Bob Vander Plaats.
DeSantis Wins Endorsement From Sioux City Journal
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Jan. 13 was endorsed by the Sioux City Journal, an influential Iowa-based newspaper.“Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis represents the Republicans’ best shot at regaining the White House,” the publication’s editorial board wrote in the article.
They acknowledged that President Donald Trump retains a strong lead in the state—a massive 35.2-point lead according to current RealClearPolitics averages.
“We realize the former president has a big following, including in Northwest Iowa, but there’s too much baggage, too many uncertainties to consider a second Trump term,” the editorial board wrote.
They wrote that after meeting with the candidates who remain in the race, they determined that Mr. DeSantis or former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley would be the two candidates best situated to break President Trump’s strong lead in the state.
They proposed that Ms. Haley may be a better pick for general election prospects, but said that “DeSantis is most in line with Iowa Republicans. He has the endorsement of Gov. Kim Reynolds and shares her views about education, abortion and border security.”
However, the Sioux City Journal’s endorsement of a competitor likely won’t make a major dent in the race.
In 2016, the publication endorsed Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), although the race was later won by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), who closely edged out President Trump.
GOP Donor Bruce Ranstetter Says Trump Will Win the Iowa Caucus
Bruce Rastetter, founder and executive chairman of Summit Agricultural Group, declared his support for President Donald Trump.Speaking about issues like inflation, the southern border, and the United States’ standing in the world, Mr. Rastetter told Bloomberg during a Saturday morning event in Des Moines, Iowa, that “we didn’t have problems when Donald Trump was president.”
According to federal donor records compiled by watchdog group OpenSecrets, Mr. Rastetter made one donation to President Trump, of about $1,500, in 2019.
Most of his political donations go to Republicans in and around Iowa. His largest donation in 2023, of $38,400, went to the National Republican Senatorial Committee. He’s also been a consistent financial supporter of Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds and former U.S. Ambassador to China Terry Branstad.
Mr. Branstad was Iowa’s governor from 1983 to 1999 and again from 2017 and 2020.
Ms. Reynolds endorsed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for the Republican party’s nomination and is making campaign appearances with him.
Energy High in Trump Camp Despite Extreme Weather
URBANDALE, Iowa—At an office located about 17 miles northwest of Des Moines, more than 100 volunteers defied the weather to make last-minute phone calls and yard signs in support of former President Donald Trump’s candidacy.Jayce Krachenfels, 22, of West Des Moines told The Epoch Times that he and others have assisted in putting together more than 200 yard signs within the past few hours. He added that a lot of college students were there today—“a lot more people than I thought would be here.”
While the campaign’s Iowa headquarters is typically staffed by retirees, the hazardous weather prevented many of them from making it out on Saturday.
Still, those present were upbeat, energized, and excited—especially to see Arizona Republican senatorial candidate Kari Lake, who was there to make calls and rally support for the 45th president.
Ms. Lake was originally slated to stump for President Trump at a campaign event on Friday, but it was called off as temperatures dipped below zero.
Nevertheless, Jason Miller, senior adviser to President Trump, said freezing temperatures would not be enough to deter the former president’s dedicated supporters.
“There’s no other campaign that has something like this going on today. President Trump’s supporters are in many ways actually more experienced voters” than those of his Republican rivals, Mr. Miller said.
“Our supporters have been at the rallies and stood outside, camped overnight. They’ve made cross-state treks … to see President Trump. They are committed and loyal allies.”
That is why he is convinced that they will come out in full force for the caucus night despite the inhospitable weather conditions.
DeSantis’s Mother Campaigns in Freezing Weather
As Gov. Ron DeSantis’s campaign continues to brave the freezing weather in Iowa, his own mother was found to be among the staff knocking on doors.Karen DeSantis was spotted going door to door with Keith Rothfus, a former Pennsylvania Congressman from Sewickley who represented the state’s 12th district. He served with the governor in the House of Representatives and told The Epoch Times he considers him a friend.
Mr. Rothfus shared a video of him and Ms. DeSantis trudging through the snow.
Ms. DeSantis was born in Poland before moving with her family to Ohio. She would then become a nurse, move to Jacksonville, Fla.–where the governor was born–and then Dunedin, Fla., where he would spend the majority of his childhood and lead his little league team to the quarter-finals of the 1991 Little League World Series.
DeSantis Confirms Event in South Carolina Day After Iowa Caucus
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will be back on the road right after Iowa’s first-in-the-nation caucus concludes, making a stop in South Carolina before turning to New Hampshire and its first-in-the-nation primary.The governor confirmed the two-state hop last night on Fox’s Laura Ingraham, saying, “We’re going to do an event in Greenville on Tuesday morning, and then we’re going to fly to New Hampshire and do a town hall on CNN later that night -- and do a lot of stuff in New Hampshire.”
His Super PAC, Never Back Down, announced on Jan. 13 that it would be hosting a meet and greet event for him in Greenville on the morning of Tuesday, Jan. 16, and then another in Manchester, New Hampshire, later that same day. Specific times have yet to be released.
“You look at South Carolina, Nikki Haley was governor there, and I’ve got like five times more endorsements from state legislators, current and former, than she does,” he said. “And that would be unthinkable for the opposite to happen in a place like Florida. And so she’s really out of step, I think, with South Carolina. We’re going to show that with the support we have.”
Mr. DeSantis has committed to appearing at an ABC/WMUR debate in the Granite State on Jan. 18.
Ramaswamy Digs SUV Out of Ditch, Keeps Campaigning
DES MOINES, Iowa—Vivek Ramaswamy hit the campaign trail this morning after conducting live events during yesterday’s heavy snowfall.Mr. Ramaswamy and his team arrived in Iowa in the early hours this morning after a five-hour drive in blizzard conditions from stops in the northwest part of the state.
“Got stuck in snow ditch on the way. 5 of us tried to push SUV out, finally got it done with extra help from a good Iowan,” the candidate posted on X at 2:43 a.m.
Key Iowa Poll to Be Released Tonight
A new Iowa poll is set to be released this evening as the countdown to the first-in-the-nation caucus continues.The poll will also provide a heavy focus on caucusgoers’ perspective on the former president, specifically whether or not they believe his legal challenges will impact his support or electability–including if he is convinced of a crime before the general election.
—T.J. MuscaroTrump Determined to Arrive in Iowa Saturday Night Despite Blizzard Warning
DES MOINES, Iowa—Former President Donald Trump told Iowans that he will arrive in Iowa on Saturday night “one way or the other.”In a videotaped message “to the great people of Iowa” released Friday night on his Truth Social platform, the former president said he would be leaving “very shortly” to come to Iowa, where he is expected to appear at a rally in Indianola on Sunday, followed by a visit to a caucus voting site on Monday.
The weather conditions may be “the worst..in recorded history,” he said, “but maybe that’s good, because our people are more committed than anybody else.”
He encouraged Iowans to get to their caucus sites at 6:30 p.m. Monday; voting begins at 7 p.m., no matter what the weather.
“We’re going to do something that’s really special, we’re going to start with you. And then we’re going to turn our country around. And it’s going to be amazing,” President Trump said.
The former president didn’t disclose his location at the time he put together the video, nor did he say by what means he would be traveling.
“It’s going to be a little bit of a trek. Nobody knows how exactly we’re gonna get there, but we’re gonna figure it out. And we wouldn’t miss it for anything.”
He also said he had “no idea” what time he would be arriving in Iowa.”But we‘ll see you on Sunday. We’ll see you on Monday. I’m going to be helping you with a caucus. And I look forward to it and we’re going to have a great victory.”
Trump-campaign spokesmen did not immediately respond to a request for further information.
“Stay warm, everyone!” campaign adviser Jason Miller wrote on X, saying the former president was coming back to the Hawkeye State. He posted an airplane emoji, suggesting that the former president would be airborne, possibly on his private airliner known as “Trump Force One.”
DeSantis Campaign Collects 40K Commit-to-Caucus Cards
DES MOINES, Iowa—Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has collected 40,000 commit-to-caucus cards from supporters, a spokesperson for Never Back Down (NBD) told The Epoch Times. The cards represent a nonbinding agreement to support the candidate on caucus night.Mr. DeSantis continues to rally support for Monday’s caucuses by conducting live events despite the blizzard conditions.
Des Moines received nine inches of snow on Jan. 12, and other parts of the state saw accumulations of up to 15 inches. High winds continue to sweep the state.
“NBD will host two meet and greets, a retail stop, and a drop-by at NBD’s Iowa Headquarters on Saturday, January 13th,” the spokesperson said.
Other events have been postponed or pushed back due to unsafe traveling conditions.
Trump Family Soliciting Prayers Ahead of Iowa Caucuses
Christian leaders will hold a “Night of Prayer” for former President Donald Trump, his family, and the nation on Jan. 14—the night before the Iowa Caucuses.The former president’s son and daughter-in-law, Eric and Lara Trump, and his attorney, Alina Habba, are set to participate in the online event, hosted by the New York-based Ark of Grace Ministries.
Prominent Christian leaders and supporters of President Trump will join in the event from across the country, including Pastors Robin Bullock and Jackson Lahmeyer and Clay Clark, founder of the ReAwaken America Tour.
